Infant Cycle, The

The Infant Cycle are one of the finest exports Canada has to offer. It is my very strong belief that the work of Jim DeJong is criminally undervalued, both inside and out of Canada. Why this happens is subject to any number of theories but it doesn't change the fact that it's wrong. When you listen to DeJong's work, it is quite clear that he is somebody that loves sound and possibly even the sound of sound, if that makes sense. It does to me at least, because when I listen to his music (and the music of Andrew McKenzie as well), I get a clear connection between what they do and what I do, musically. While the motives or meanings behind the work of DeJong (and McKenzie) are often not clear to the listener, that connection between the listener and the musician is somewhat irrelevant under these circumstances. For me, when I listen to this music, I can only think of two things. First, DeJong has a great respect for sound and playing within sound, much like a toddler playing wildly within a sandbox full of shovels and pails. Second, I enjoy the experience of listening to it. That's what really keeps you coming back to something over and over, isn't it? I may not be able to technically explain exactly why I like it, but it is what it is. I've yet to hear something from DeJong that didn't put a smile on my face or even knock my socks off, whether it be drones, noise, complicated structures or pure dissonance. In my experience, you can't really go wrong with The Infant Cycle. There isn't a bad release in the entire catalog.